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Knowing your 'heart age' could cut risk of stroke

A campaign has been launched to help people find out their 'heart age'.

Public Health England has created an online test in a bid to reduce the number of deaths from heart disease or stroke.

In the East of England, 75 percent of people who have taken the test have a heart age that is at least one year older than their actual age.

The free online heart age test asks adults some simple lifestyle questions, including blood pressure, and will give an immediate estimation of someone's heart age.

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Those who have a heart age higher than their actual age are at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

In England, heart attack and stroke are some of the leading causes of death and so PHE wants to make adults aware of their risk through this test and highlight changes that can be made now to lower their heart age.

Angie Jones, from Bedfordshire, had a heart attack as a result of her poor lifestyle and her weight which put strain on her heart.

Fortunately she has made a full recovery and the heart attack has motivated her to make positive lifestyle changes to improve her heart health.

She said: "I believe the heart attack did me the power of good. I'd never felt confident enough to exercise or join group before - it was only realising how serious things had become that led me to make changes I wish I'd made years before. And now I'm hooked on my healthy lifestyle!"